Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) The pro-government paramilitary troops have repulsed an Islamic State attack, killing 18 militants, on borders with Syria.

A statement by the media service of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) said on Tuesday, “troops of the 28th brigade repelled an IS attack at Tal Sufuk border crossing with Syria. Eighteen suicide attackers were killed and two booby-trapped vehicles were exploded.”

“The attack was launched from several directions and targeted many checkpoints of the troops,” the statement added.

The troops also killed five other militants, south of the border.

Earlier on the day, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry Brigadier General Saad Maan said 15 militants were killed on borders between Iraq and Syria in an operation that was launched after tracking down the Islamic State cell for a few days.

Despite declaring the victory over IS in Mosul, the group’s former bastion in Iraq, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared, in July, victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October 2016.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group, which declared a self-styled “caliphate” from Mosul in June 2014.